The present invention relates to a door mounting tool and especially to a door mounting tool for mounting a door to a door jamb.
Carpenters have to fit and hang doors to door openings in buildings. This sometimes requires hanging a door in an existing jamb when only the door needs replacing and other times requires the installation of a new door jamb and door. The door has to be mounted to the door jamb and this is accomplished by positioning the door in the door opening and then using small wooden door shims and pry bars to raise and position the door to a position for mounting the door. The door must then be mounted to the jamb again using door shims and pry bars to position the door in the exact position for attaching the hinges.
Prior U.S. patents which assist in hanging doors include the Niederholtmeyer patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,642,251, for a Door Jack to facilitate the installation of doors. An elongated pry bar is provided having a pry foot at the lower end and is used to maintain the door in the desired elevated position for installation of the hinges. The jack may also be used for carrying the door to the installation site. The Almond patent, U.S. No. 4,043,536, is a rollable jack for positioning the door in lateral and vertical alignments for hanging the door on hinges while leaving the hands free to perform the hanging operations. The jack includes an elongated handle having a bracket attached thereto and a stirrup for inserting the foot to pivot the jack to raise the door to the level of the door hinges for positioning the mounting pins in the hinges. In the Wheeler patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,931, a Door Lifting and Holding Tool enables the user to lift and position a door and includes a frame member having a lever member pivotally attached to a fulcrum and means for elevating the frame above a supporting surface. In the Schaefer patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,054, a Dolly and method of using it to hang a door is provided which has a U-shaped door receiving frame with outwardly extending lever arms. Wheels are attached to the frame such that by stepping on one end of the lever arms, the frame is swung to lift the door supported on the dolly to align the hinges with the hinges on a door frame. In the Pope patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,819, a tool for lifting doors is provided to facilitate installation of the doors. The tool has a pair of fingers affixed to a horizontally extending arm for gripping opposite sides of the door panel or other member when a lifting force is applied to the handle. In the Wheeler patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,931, a door lifting and holding device includes a hollow frame member for resting on a supporting surface. A portion of the frame member is inserted under the edge of the door for lifting the door.
The present invention is directed towards a door holding, lifting and setting tool for holding a door in position for mounting the door and which can be used to move the door from place to place as well as to support the door while working on the door. The tool can be folded into a storage position when not in use.